The Benefits of Owning Two Languages
English and Spanish Books for Bilingual Kids
When your niños are ready to listen to stories, bilingual books are a great source for exposing them to traditional stories from your home country and the Spanish language. As they grow and begin to read, they can see the words they already know and learn their spelling and context.
Bilingual Kids’ Music
Children respond to the magic of music. You may have already played classical music for your baby while pregnant. But you can bolster your efforts of bilingualism by playing some of the old staples you listened to when you were growing up, such as “Cri-Cri.” Music will help them develop their synapses and listening to the language will reinforce your other efforts.
Notitas for Their Lunchboxes
When your child starts going to school, you can place a little note inside his or her lunchbox. This is a good method to foster reading and communicating in both English and Spanish, as well as a nice surprise for them to find at lunchtime so they know mami loves them.
MORE: Free downloadable and printable bilingual lunchbox notes
Teach Them To Eat Your Country’s Food
A fun part of teaching a language is delving into the kitchen and involving your children in the process. They’ll learn new words for kitchen utensils and the ingredients used to make your favorite meals from your home country. Their curiosity will be piqued, which will open new doors to learning opportunities.
Find a Playgroup
Your child will benefit from interaction with other children; that’s a given. But if their little friends are also in the process of becoming bilingual, everyone wins. Don’t worry about your child not having fun. Children are very resilient and open to change. Their social skills will strengthen and they’ll practice what they’ve learned from you—and you could make new friends with other parents trying to foster a bilingual home as well.
Involve Your Husband
Even if your husband isn’t a native speaker, he must know basic words and sentences. Ask him to help in the formative process and support your efforts. Papá will bring a different voice to your child’s ear as well as a new type of interaction. He may even become bilingual himself!
